Santa Catalina, a Royal Hideaway Hotel

Santa Catalina, a Royal Hideaway Hotel

At Santa Catalina, a Royal Hideaway Hotel, the rooftop pool looks past garden terraces toward the Atlantic, a view guests have gathered for since the hotel first opened its doors in 1890 in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Two hundred and four rooms spread across five floors keep the scale intimate rather than sprawling, though a full conference hall and event facilities mean this is one of the few heritage addresses on the island that can host a serious meeting and a quiet week away with equal ease. The wellness facilities run to a sauna, massage rooms, an indoor pool, and a gym, while the restaurant, bar, and cafe cover a full day without anyone needing to leave the property. Parque Doramas and its gardens sit a short walk away, and Mesa y López Avenue and Parque Romano are close enough for an afternoon on foot rather than in a taxi. Families get family rooms and babysitting on request; couples get balconied suites and a spa tub. It is not the place for anyone travelling with a dog, since pets are not permitted, and parking comes at a daily charge rather than free. What separates it from the newer resorts along the coast is over a century of history built into a working hotel rather than a themed lobby display, the kind of pedigree that shows in staff fluent in five languages and in details like contactless check-in sitting next to a doorman at the front step. Check-in is 3pm, check-out noon, with early check-in and late check-out available. The Atlantic view from the terrace, taken in slowly rather than photographed and left behind, is what people tend to remember. Santa Catalina, a Royal Hideaway Hotel has stood over Las Palmas de Gran Canaria since 1890, its rooftop pool and Atlantic terraces framing 204 rooms across five floors. It suits couples and business travellers alike; it will not suit anyone bringing a dog.